Roller shutter bead chain connector

ABSTRACT

A roller shutter bead chain connector includes a connector main body having an internal receiving space for receiving beads of the bead chain. Two engagement slots are formed at two ends of the connector main body. A string segment between two beads is engaged into the engagement slot to connect the connector main body with the bead chain for controlling the up and down movement of the roller shutter. The connection main body can be fitted on any section of the bead chain as necessary, whereby the connection main body can be stopped to locate the roller shutter curtain at a desired height.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a roller shutter bead chainconnector, and more particularly to a roller shutter bead chainconnector, which can be connected with two ends of the bead chain or anysection of the bead chain as necessary to restrict the movement distanceof the bead chain, whereby the roller shutter curtain can be located ata desired height.

2. Description of the Related Art

Each end of a bead chain of a roller shutter is generally connected witha connection box. The connection box includes a box body and a coverbody. Two sidewalls of the box body are formed with through holes forthe bead chain to pass through. The cover body is used to cover and sealthe box body to connect the connection box with the end of the beadchain and prevent the bead chain from detaching from the connection box.It is difficult, time-consuming and laborious to assemble the connectionbox with the bead chain so that the cost is very high. Especially, theconventional bead chain lacks any stop effect. In operation of theroller shutter, it is uneasy to move the roller shutter up and down orlocate the roller shutter. Moreover, when the roller shutter ispositioned in a topmost position, the roller shutter will idle if thebead chain is continuously pulled. This is likely to cause damage to thecontrol seat of the roller shutter.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide aroller shutter bead chain connector including a connector main body. Theconnector main body has a receiving space for receiving at least twobeads of the bead chain. Two engagement slots are formed at two ends ofthe connector main body. Each engagement slot has a coiled passage,whereby a string segment between two beads can be engaged into theengagement slot through the coiled passage to connect the connector mainbody with the bead chain.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide the aboveroller shutter bead chain connector, which can be fitted on any sectionof the bead chain as necessary to restrict the movement distance of thebead chain. When the bead chain is pulled, the connector main body isstopped by a control seat of the roller shutter to locate the rollershutter curtain at a desired height.

The present invention can be best understood through the followingdescription and accompanying drawings, wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the roller shutter bead chain connectorof the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing that the roller shutter bead chainconnector of the present invention is to be assembled with a bead chain;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing that the roller shutter bead chainconnector of the present invention is to be assembled with the beadchain;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing that the roller shutter bead chainconnector of the present invention is assembled with the bead chain;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing that the roller shutter bead chainconnector of the present invention is assembled with the bead chain;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing that the roller shutter bead chainconnector of the present invention is to be assembled with the beadchain in another use mode;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing that the roller shutter bead chainconnector of the present invention is assembled with the bead chain inthe other use mode;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the installation of the rollershutter bead chain connector of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a plane view showing the installation of the roller shutterbead chain connector of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a plane view showing the operation of the roller shutter beadchain connector of the present invention; and

FIG. 11 is a plane view showing that the roller shutter bead chainconnector of the present invention is stopped by the control seat of theroller shutter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer to FIG. 1. The roller shutter bead chain connector of thepresent invention includes a connector main body 1 and two engagementslots 10, 11 formed at two ends of the connector main body 1. Theconnector main body 1 has a receiving space 12 with one single opening.Each of the engagement slots 10, 11 has a guide entrance 100, 101 and acoiled passage 102, 103.

When assembled, the connector main body 1 is fixedly fitted on the beadchain 2 of a roller shutter (with reference to FIG. 2). Two beads 20 arereceived in the receiving space 12 of the connector main body 1. Thestring segment 21 between two beads 20 is engaged into the engagementslot 10, 11 in such a manner that the string segment 21 is guided by theguide entrance 100, 101 to move through the coiled passage 102, 103 intothe engagement slot 10, 11 (with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4).Accordingly, the connector main body 1 is secured to the bead chain 2(with reference to FIG. 5).

According to the above arrangement, the connector main body 1 isconnected with each of two ends of the bead chain 2 of the rollershutter. Two ends of the bead chain 2 are conducted through a rollershutter control seat 3 and suspended from the control seat 3. The beads20 and the string segments 21 of the two ends of the bead chain 2 arerespectively engaged into the receiving space 12 and the engagementslots 10, 11 of the connector main body 1 to fixedly connect the twoends with the connector main body 1 (with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7).In this case, the bead chain 2 is mounted on the control seat 3 in theform of a loop. Accordingly, the bead chain 2 can be pulled left andright to control lifting/lowering of the roller shutter curtain 30 ofthe roller shutter (as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9).

The connector main body 1 of the present invention is connected with theends of the bead chain 2. Alternatively, in another use mode, theconnector main body 1 serves to locate the roller shutter curtain 30 ata desired height. In operation, the connector main body 1 is fitted on apredetermined section of the bead chain 2. When the bead chain 2 ispulled downward to lift the roller shutter curtain 30, the connectormain body 1 is moved upward along with the bead chain 2 (as shown inFIG. 10) until the connector main body 1 touches the control seat 3 andis stopped. Under such circumstance, the bead chain 2 cannot be furtherpulled so as to locate the roller shutter curtain 30 (as shown in FIG.11).

The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the present invention,not intended to limit the scope thereof. Many modifications of the aboveembodiments can be made without departing from the spirit of the presentinvention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A roller shutter bead chain connector comprising:a connector main body having a receiving space with one single opening,the receiving space serving to receive beads of the bead chain; and twoengagement slots formed at two ends of the connector main body, each ofthe engagement slots having a guide entrance and a coiled passage incommunication with the guide entrance, a string segment between twobeads being engaged into the engagement slot to connect the connectormain body with the bead chain.
 2. The roller shutter bead chainconnector as claimed in claim 1, wherein two ends of the receiving spaceof the connector main body have a concave configuration.